Vehicle drive



Jan. 17, 1950 N. R. HUNTINGTON VEHICLE DRIVE '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1946 Jan. 17, 1950 N. R. HUNTINGTON VEHICLE DRIVE 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed May 2, 1946 Jan. 17, 1950 N. R. HUNTINGTON 2,494,945

VEHICLE DRIVE Filed May 2, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet s l I l llllllllllllllllllllll llllllll NNER. U W \\\\\\N Patented Jan. L7, 1950 angina VEHICLE DRIVE" Nathanielilti l-luntingtcn fiiltsaCalit;

Application Mayi2; 194c;fse1-iar:itt; seam:

3 Claims; (011 180 41 The-present inventionrelatesto metor vehicles and has particular reference to -mec'li'anisnr wherein load forces are utilized to' impart a roll ing drive to the -traction" wheels of at vehicle;

Although efiorts have" previously" been made to" providemechanism employihgthisv generai prin ciple; these" have'not proven entirely satisfactory for the reason that" they have-mainly'used a linlt" or equivalent connection between the movable drive axle and the dead axle-so as to preclude-'- most effectiveutilizatibnof the load force's.

Accordingly; it is at primary object of the present" invention to provide mocha-mom of the aforesaid character whiclr utilizes the-load forces with maximum efliciencyi Another object o'f theinvention-is' to' provide motor vehicle having ani-inproved frame struc turefor carrying therloads or" the Vehicle? A further obj ect of the i'nventic'irr"is t'o provide amotor' vehicle or" the above character whereina load carrying frame member is movably asso ciated with a complementary frame member? Still: another" object off'therlnvention is the provision of a motor vehicle of generally improved construction.

Other, objects and advantages of theiinvention will become apparent as the description: progresses.

Referringrto: the drawings. wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention? Figure 1 is asideeleva-tibnal view of a vehicle embodying the invention:

Figure 2' is atop-plan view of the same:

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on" line 3-3 of Figure 2;-

Figured-is a-rear-elevational vlew of theweliicle partly in section;

Referringto the-drawings, wherein like-reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, I designates one of the frame sections of the vehicle, advantageously of elongated, rectangular configuration having channel bars I l at the sides rigidly connected by cross bars l2. Frame channels II are disposed so that their web portions are vertical While their flanges are directed outwardly for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

At the forward portion of frame I0 is mounted, in any preferred manner, a conventional front axle [4 on the steering spindles of which are mounted road wheels [5. At the rear end of frame section In is mounted an axle l6, in the present example constituting a unitary dead axle member secured below the frame Ill, as by hangl8 ers Fl; and*havingrotatablymounted upon each protruding end portion a traction wheel [8? Eacnof the tractionwheelsl 8- preferably embodies; a liuocarryingbodydisk t9 provided witli a pneumatic tire engaging rim' 2i} formed to provide; at the" inner side of the disk, an annular cylindrically shaped internal" ring" 21' which functions as a whee? or gear: of the: frictiorr type:

Below d'ead axle Hi which has its intermediate" portionbowewup'wardly-"toafford clearance; is mounted a differential drive-gear housing 22" to" which are connected axle-housing members 22 in which are journal'ed a pair of rotary axle shafts 1'3? On-the outer end of" each axleshaft 2'3 is=keyedi or otherwisefixed a friction wheel Hdesi'gned to assume driving" engagement with the interior of the" ring '21 fixed to"- eachtraction wheel;' as shown' to advantage at Fi'gure 4: In the embodiment ot the'finventibn herein illustrated the" operatively engaging elements 2 and 2'4 are of frittionally"engaging form" of any preferredknowrrmake, althoughother forms of drive-elements suclr' as spur gearing or the like may obviously be employed when the conditions sorequire. Shafts 23* or" the drive axle are driven through-preferred conventional differential", propeller shaft and transmission gearing 2-7 it? and- 29 respectively driven by a front mounted engine within Hood 3112' Movabl'y associated with; frame section It and supported upon" thedrive ax-I'e housing 2 2", as-by springs 32 is what 'I term the load carrying frame 33 of the vehicle; having a rectangular contour normally assuming a positionsubstanstantially greater" than the-latter to allow substantial le'ngtliwl'se 'movenient: Thisexterior flame-33 has channelled side bars 3'' spaced slightly from the bars H of frame It] withthe flanges of channels 34 directed inwardly. Thus it will be seen that frame section It) essentially constitutes a guide frame maintaining the axis of the front load carrying wheels l5 and the rear traction wheels l8 in fixed longitudinally spaced relationship while outer frame 33 is designed to carry all or the major part of the load of the vehicle.

Adjacent the forward end of each frame bar 34 is mounted a channel shaped bracket 36 having its upper and lower flanges fixed to the flanges of bar 34, as by bolts 31. To the web of bracket 36 is fastened the reduced and threaded shank 38 of a headed stud 39 fitted within a collar 4|], the exterior of which is shaped to form the inner race for ball bearings 4|. concentrically about collar 40 is a ring 42 having an external diameter such that it may roll longitudinally in frame channel II and an internal configuration providing a race for bearings 4|. These connections permit movement of frame 33 longitudinally of frame ID as well as vertical pivotal movement about the axis of studs 39, enabling the load carrying structure to move freely in accordance with the tendency of the drive shaft to oscillate about the axis of the'dead axle andithus fully utilize the weight forces to transmit leverage upon the traction wheels. Upon the rear portion of load carrying frame 33 may advantageously be mounted a plurality of body supporting cross bars 35, elevated to provide clearance for inner" in contact with the inner surface of a complemental of said annular members, a propellor shaft frame H1 and designed to support'thereon a desired body structure.

In additionto supporting the vehicle body and the load transported'there- Z by it is preferable that frame 33 carry the ,engine together with the vehicle cab 43 and associated hood structure in order to apply the maximum weight upon the drive axle.

While brake mechanism of known character can, be employed on the vehicle, as upon the axle shafts or the like, brake means employing the drum or internal wheel 2| as a drum, as shown at Figure 4, can advantageously be used. Thus, pivotally supported shoe 44 is mounted so as to releasably engage the arcuate portion of the internal wheel 2| Without interference with the oscillatory movementof the drive Wheel 24 to provide for traction wheel braking.

It will thus be seen that driving power from the engine is transmitted, through the shafts 23 of the drive axle and wheels or pinions 24, to the annuli or internal Wheels 2| of the traction wheels, so as to apply torque thereto. When forward or rearward movement of the vehicle is impeded, as by the inclination or uneven condition of a, roadway, drive wheels 24 may travel through arcs of substantial angularity to exert a rolling leverage upon the traction wheels, dependent upon the load carried by the vehicle, to impart driving power substantially augmenting that of the driving torque'as well as materially assisting in overcoming spin of the traction wheels on muddy or ice covered roads. Furthermore, the fact that the driveaxle assembly is entirely disconnected from the dead axle enables maximum utilization of the gravityforces of the vehicle load in the concentrically oscillatable movement of the drive wheel 24 with relation to the axis of the traction wheel.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that avehicle drive constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason ,of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated. v v

connecting said differential and drive axle assembly with the power plant of the vehicle, and

means coupling the forward ends of said frames whereby said load supporting frame will have limited pivotal and longitudinal movements relative to said second frame correspondingly for the starting, running and braking, conditions of operation of the vehicle, substantially as and for the purposessetforth.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, with the said frames having side members formed of lengths of channel iron and disposed with the channels thereof opposed, a stud mounted in the channel of each of the side members of said second frame and projecting into the adjacent channels of the side members of said load supporting frame, and rollers mounted on said studs and disposed in rolling contact with the lower and upper side walls of-the latter channels, said studs and rollers constituting the aforesaid coupling means at the forward ends of said frames.

Theinvention as defined in claim 1, with a brake shoe mounted adjacent to a portion of the inner surface of each of said annular members opposite the-surface engaged by the friction wheel for braking cooperation therewith whenever a slowing down or stoppage of the vehicle is required. I

. NATHANIEL Ri HUNTINGTON.

REEERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent! UNITED STATES PATENTS 

